Susan Miller Hunt

TOPSHAM – Susan Miller Hunt passed away on April 24, 2025, at the Highlands in Topsham. She was born in Detroit, the daughter of Benjamin and Martha Miller, sister of Benjamin Jr. Susan’s early years were marked by happy memories of living on lakes in Michigan and Illinois. She later moved east to Darien, Conn. Her high school years were also marked by many happy memories.

She graduated from Colby College, majoring in art. Her professor thought she should apply to The Rhode Island School of Design following graduation. She achieved the Dean’s list and was actively engaged in a broad range of campus activities, including modern dance and student government. During her freshman year, she spotted her future husband Tom washing his car. Noting that he had a Connecticut license plate, she introduced herself.

Their marriage in 1956 began in Vermont. They later moved to Massachusetts, where they raised their daughter Leslie and son Tom Jr. Susan was a deeply dedicated wife and mother, supporting many of Leslie and Tom’s activities including sports, chorus, and drama. When her husband Tom decided to make a radical career change, she gave unwavering support, never complaining of the demands it placed upon her. As the years went by, Tom kept reminding her, “you gave me a new life.” She was always generous and grateful. “Give a good tip” was her usual refrain following a meal at a restaurant.

After Leslie and Tom left for college, Susan attained a Master of Arts degree in community counseling from Framingham State College. She began employment at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center as a child support counselor in the Pediatric Psychiatric Unit. When the unit was transferred to another facility, she turned to the arts, both visual and performing.

Susan had an exceptional skill in drawing. Her medium was primarily pastels and watercolors. She painted portraits of grandchildren, children of friends, and her husband Tom. Her quest for exactness was evident in her art and carried over into many other parts of her life: in the needle point pillows she made and in the superb meals she prepared for her family and friends, who often asked for her recipes. She loved to cook.

Susan was also a devoted and active grandmother to her three grandchildren from their childhoods through adulthood, hosting them for holidays and birthdays and attending soccer games, dance performances and graduations. She loved watching them grow up.

Her final and most fulfilling pursuit was in choral arts. She joined the Pilgrim Church choir and later the Wellesley Choral Society in Massachusetts. She also sang for several years in The Berkshire Choral Festival at their annual summer performance, an annual musical highlight for her, and later, with the Freeport Community Chorus. Finally, she sang with the Highlands Chorale. Even after she had to give up commitment, she continued to attend their performances. At the annual Christmas concert, several members of the chorale stepped forward and stood beside her, singing “Silent Night, Holy Night.” The entire audience responded, many in tears.

Her final years were marked by the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. During this immense struggle, she combined endurance, grace, and courage with a generosity of spirit, always thinking of the other person first and thanking people again and again. Her soul rested on her Christian faith. She gave much and asked for little.

Susan will be much missed by her husband Tom; her daughter Leslie Hunt and husband Pete Didisheim of Brunswick, Maine and her grandsons Matthew and Evan; her son Tom and his wife Gabriele Davis of Litchfield, Connecticut; and her granddaughter Eva Hodosy and her husband Alex together with their children Olivia and Ian.

The Hunt family would like to thank the staff at CHANS and Governor King for their exceptional care of Susan and for their steady support of the entire family.

A memorial service will be held in Massachusetts later this spring.

Memories and Condolences may be shared at http://www.brackettfh.com

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Susan’s memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, info@alzfdn.org.